Thursday, April 22, 2010

Sometimes, our lives seem very pale and there is a strain of sameness that hovers. We too easily get sucked into taking certain elements of our life for granted. Or perhaps that sense of adventure rears its head. When this occurs, I find myself reaching (never too far away) for my sense of humor, to lend some sanity and perspective. Sometimes it works.

RUNNING AWAY WITH GARY THE MATTRESS SALESMAN


He beckons my husband and me over to the
king-sized mattresses as he fingers his cigarette pack
tucked into a shirt pocket/I really could not tolerate
a smoker but Gary cares about my comfort, my happiness/
offers amazing information about how crucial the
size of the springs are/the springs are everything/
he’s not pushy/he gently invites me to go to sleep/
imagine I am sleeping on say this one/
how do you feel/he wants to know how I feel/he is
talking to me/waiting for my answer/it’s the only thing
he cares about and now I just want him to leave
with me/I would follow him/even though he wears
pressed Wrangler jeans slightly belled at the bottom/
he know the ins and outs of comfort/I think he is
taken with me/I know he wants me to be happy/
it is a stroke of luck/
the Chiffons singing he’s so fine on the store’s radio/
my husband and me buying a mattress today from Gary.

--C.Fraga